Zach Williams - Chain Breaker (Official Music Video)

Somebody needs this today! Come to Jesus, He is the chain breaker !!!

Commit to Him!

Is your heart rejoicing?

Let this not be us!

Some are so in tune with the world that they don’t even know they are chained up to the devil!

2 Timothy 2:26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

I pray this is not you or I! If it is we must wake up and break his chains and run to Jesus! If we have broken those chains then we have a great responsibility to help all we can to break his chains and see the truths of Jesus!

Chew on this verse today...and do what needs to be done!

Tom

What do they say?

Whose your friend?

A simple reminder from God’s Word this morning.

James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Examine your life, are you more like the world or more like Christ? God speaks to us very plainly in the verse above...we are either a friend with God or a friend with the world. I don’t see wiggle room for both. Better think where your are in life!

Here is a great friend verse:

John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Glad I got Jesus as my friend! How about you?

Tom

Battle the flesh!

As we continue to grow in holiness falling Jesus we must remember what Jesus told us:

Mark 14:38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We naturally have our fleshly desires that we battle with everyday. So we must battle! Be on the lookout for the sins that early snare us and run from them. Pray for strength to overcome them by the power of the Holy Spirit. It CAN be done! Here is how it is done:

Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The flesh has been defeated! By Jesus, so let’s live the victorious life!

Thank you Jesus for providing the victory for us!

Tom

What shall you give the Lord?

Are you self-disciplined?

Crucify that flesh!

Do you like to fight?

Naturally I don’t like to fight but as a follower of Christ I don’t have a choice! We are in a battle everyday called spiritual warfare. The devil is out to destroy us:

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

As you can see we are in a fight against the devil! There is no option for the follower of Christ. Paul also urges us on here:

1 Timothy 6:12a Fight the good fight of faith,

Spiritual warfare is man’s most important battle as it has eternal consequences!!! We must fight! 

So fight my brothers and sisters!

Tom

Speak to please God.

Running the race!

Running the race of faith in Christ is summed up pretty well in there two verses:

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1. Lay aside sin-as a follower of Christ we throw the sin out! Sin is constantly trying to grab ahold of us. Don’t allow it too keep running the with the endurance the Holy Spirit provides.

2. As we cleanse ourselves from the dirt and grim of sin, we are at the same time growing in holiness and thus becoming more like Christ. 

Are you ready for the race of faith? It is not for the faint of heart, but thank God it is not done in our own strength but in the power of the Holy Spirit who fills us at salvation!

Run, brothers and sisters, run!

Tom

The Lord will provide!

So simple!

Do you want the greatest life possible??? Here it is:

John 5:40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Jesus is life! God designed us that way and until one figures it out life is not great! Look here what Jesus said:

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Folks it don’t get any plainer that that! Go to the world and the devil life is not what it is supposed to be, but come to Jesus and it is more that we can imagine or deserve!

So what are you waiting for?

Tom

Have you found the gate?

This verse has always spoken to me in a very simple and plain way:

Matthew 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Of course the gate to life, eternal life is Jesus. Why is this GATE so hard to find? JC Ryle says “Few will be saved because few will take the trouble to seek salvation. Men will not deny themselves the pleasures of sin, and their own way, of a little season.”

I believe JC Ryle is right. He hit on three of the main reasons folks will not find the gate!

1. “Few will take trouble”- Just plain laziness. Following Jesus and being obedient to the Word of God is hard work. Trusting Christ is the easy part but being obedient is not so many will just not do it!

2. “Will not deny themselves”-We are selfish people. We think we know all the answers to life so we have adopted the attitude “if it feels good do it” no matter the cost! The devil makes sin look great and we chose to follow him and not deny ourselves.

3. “Pleasures of sin”-Sin is awesome in the eye of the man who has not truly found the Gate! But for the one who has found the Gate, the conviction of the Holy Spirit will burden us so that sin is not fun! Don’t let a moments so called pleasure ruin the pleasure of an eternity in heaven with Jesus!

So this morning, evaluate yourself. Have you found the Gate? It is narrow and hard to find and most will choose the wide gate to destruction. Choose wisely, the narrow Gate is open just for you!

Tom

Have you found a good thing in a spouse?

You are IMPORTANT!

Purify self.

Remember as a follower of Christ it is our responsibility to be working on sanctification (becoming more holy) through the power of the Holy Spirit everyday. So as you start out a new week keep this in mind. The Holy Spirit can guide us but we must make the choice each day to be holy! Look at this verse:

1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

If you have put your hope and faith in Jesus you must purify yourself! Jesus has paid the price for your sins upon the cross but we must daily be in the scriptures, obeying what we read, confessing any sin, spending time in prayer, and following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

So do all you can this day and everyday to purify yourself!

Tom

Chain Breaker

If you got chains on this Monday morning, I know the One who can break them! Jesus! Turn this up and worship our Chainbreaker!

Stand strong!

Think about heaven.

As you live as a follower of Jesus and strive to be holy as God has called us to be holy, think about when you die and go to heaven. Heaven is a place of pure holiness. Heaven is holy, the angels are holy, God is holy, everything there is holy! So as we live out our lives here on the earth we should be striving for holiness!

Revelation 21:27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Of course we do not enter heaven on our own righteousness but on the righteousness of Jesus Christ but that should not keep us from doing our very best with the power of the Holy Spirit to live holy lives right now!

Think of it like this, what if God allowed you into heaven without holiness....how could you enjoy heaven? You would be miserable! Everything and everyone is holy but you! There could be no pleasure in that!

Heaven is a holy place for holy people,to worship a holy God, so be holy!

Tom

God needs nothing.

Where does true joy come from?

We try lots of things in life to find joy and happiness don’t we? The bible is clear where true joy come from:

Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

JC Ryle makes a good point here:”When the disciples forsook the Lord and fled, they escaped danger; but they were miserable and sad. When, shortly after, they confessed Him boldly before men, they were cast into prison and beaten; but we are told, “They rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Him name.” Acts 5:41 Oh, for our own sakes, if there were no other reason---let us strive to be holy!”

The disciples joy was found in Jesus and ours should be too! It is the true joy that only God can offer! No matter what life throws at us they can not take our joy in Jesus! Praise the Lord!

Tom

Send Me!

Without words

Something to think about very carefully today. JC Ryle says “I fear that Christ’s name is too often blasphemed because of the lives of Christians.” Wow! I pray that as followers of Jesus no one is turned away from Jesus because of the life we live out day to day.

What God says to wives here should be applied to the followers of Jesus also:

1 Peter 3:1 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,

May we win others to Jesus because we live Christ like lives not the life of demons! Our behavior is very important! How is your behavior?

Tom

Be confident!

The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit are looking!!!

What are they looking for?

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Obedient followers who will go to wherever they lead!!! Is that you???

Be careful how you answer, They will take you up on it!

Let’s go brothers and sisters follow without hesitation and see what God has in store for us!!!

Tom

Let God handle it.

Today is sure does seem like sin and habitual sinners are getting away with their lifestyles and having a great time at no cost. Let me encourage you as followers of Jesus to continue the good fight of faith and obedience to God. Nothing surprises Him and He sees and knows all. He will take care of it in His timing!

Proverbs 29:16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.

Stand strong brothers and sisters upon the Rock...Jesus Christ!

Tom

See a sunrise!

Encouragement!

Part of the family.

Generally you can trace some sort of likeness of a child to the mother and father. It is the same for us as children of God. So if you claim to be a follower of Jesus, can we see any likeness? 

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

As God, Jesus was led by the Spirit. We see through the scriptures the Spirit leading the disciples thus showing us their likeness to God. Again I ask can we see the Spirit leading you and I? 

Chances are if there is no evidence we are dead in the Spirit and thus dead to God and must be revived by a personal relationship with Jesus and be filled by the Holy Spirit and have evidence we are being led by the Holy Spirt and these evidences shown by this:

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

So are you a part of the family? Got proof?

Tom

Think about what Jesus did! 10-5-16

What ya thinking about today?

Can we say this about the Word of God in our lives?

Psalm 119:97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

The guide book of life can get us through everyday if we keep it in the front of our thoughts and refer to it often. Keep focused!

Tom

Still standing! 10-4-16

Proof you love Jesus

The Word of God makes it clear, to prove we love Jesus we must obey His commandments. Do you love Him?

Daniel 9:4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

John 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Pretty clear huh? Do you love Jesus? The way you follow Him proves your love!

Chew on that thought today.

Tom

How Can it be?

All God!

I want to remind us of one important fact this morning for the follower of Jesus. Here it is:

Ephesians 2:8-9For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Nothing you can do saves you, it is that simple. It is a gift from God. His son Jesus Christ on the cross for sinners like you and I is the gift. God in His grace, mercy, and love for those He created in His image gives us salvation through Jesus. All you have to do is have faith! Do you? Is there any proof of this faith?

Thank you Jesus for salvation for without you there is no hope!

Tom

Be pleasing to Jesus today! 3-10-16